Atenolol Question

[Rene S.]

Hi. By all means, I don't wish to alarm anyone who takes Atenolol since I am one of them.

There's an article on Buzzle.com that states that Atenolol may increase heart attack risk. I've also found this topic on another website. I know you can't believe everything you read but being on the drug I was a bit concerned.

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/blood-press...ttack-risk.html

http://cme.medscape.com/viewarticle/493299

This was a UK study that stated the people should back off Atenolol due to increased risk of heart attack, stroke and type 2 diabetes. The article states that beta blockers slow you down and lower your hdl and insulin sensitivity, with Atenolol being the main culprit. It's especially dangerous in people over the age of 50. (I just turned 50). Should I think of switching bb?

Now, I have been on 6.25-12.5 mg of Atenolol for over a month and it does lower my h/r. I'd just like to know if there is any validity to this article.

Also, if you do a google search and type in atenolol causing heart attacks you can find one or two other articles speaking with drs in the US that concur with these findings.

Just want some clarification and to see how true these articles are.

A lot of us are one Atenolol and I'm sure we'd all like to know if this is a horrible rumor or if there is some truth in the articles.

Once again, please, anyone on Atenolol please do not stop it! I was a bit scared myself but I don't want to harm anyone by bringing this article into light.

One other question that has to do with Atenolol for myself personally and perhaps others have experienced this - At night, in a supine position, my diastolic number goes to 50 or below, and I can feel it happening. I get sweaty and just know that something isn't right. Once it actually went to 70/40 and that was when I was on 12.5mg of Atenolol. The cardio said there is no way that the atenolol at that dosage could do that! Wrong!

Thank you.

Rene

[bjt22]

Well, I'm not running to the medicine cabinet and throwing out my beta blocker.

Does your beta blocker do what you want it to do? That would be the question. Mine keeps my heart rate below 160 bpm and keeps my blood pressure from spiking. It also lessens a lot of the chest pain I have and it seems to make migraines less intense.

Are beta blockers the wonder drugs some have made them out to be in regards to preventing everything that might ail one? Ofcourse not. For me, though, I have to think that lessening the work load on my heart and providing me with a little symptom relief is certainly worth any small risk.

I will state that I DO have high cholesterol and I'm a borderline diabetic. Probably has nothing to do with with my taking a beta blocker as these seem to be problems that run in my family.

[yogini]

Atenolol and beta blockers have been around for years and are widely regarded as safe for their intended use. All meds have some risks, and BBs are actually not so bad compared to other drugs prescribed for POTS. I haven't heard of the website you used to do your reearch, but there are always docs that disagree with the main medical community. I think whether you should keep taking them depends on what's going on with your individual body. You are taking a super low dose, by the way. You may stlil want to check with your doctor and/or pharmacist.

[firewatcher]

Ruekat,

I consulted with my Pharmacist/Dad before I posted, and this is HIS take:

That Buzzle article was written in a very "media-scare-tactic" way. It seemed like it was written for those who have hypertension due to obesity/lifestyle and were probably given atenolol (just the most commonly prescribed) in an effort to lower their BP. If they continue to engage in a lifestyle that CAUSES their high BP (obesity, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, etc,) no drug will stop their slow progression towards diabetes or heart attack, it will simply mask the warning signs until the inevitable. HOWEVER, if you do not have the other risk factors, it is not shown that the drug increases your risk of developing heart disease or diabetes.

***EVERY side effect that a drug COULD have must be listed as possible according to the FDA, whether it has EVER happened or not!***

The MOST important piece of the treatment puzzle (and I know you don't have this yet ) is a doctor who will monitor and adjust medications according to your tolerance and symptoms! EVERY drug, herb or supplement will effect us differently than "normals," because our normal is not normal!

If it were me, and it was helping, I would go for short acting BB and not take it at night.

[tinkerbella]

Sounds like real good advice fire watcher.

Your lucky to have your Dad to ask for advice.

I'm allergic to atenolol anyway.

[Rene S.]

Ruekat,

I consulted with my Pharmacist/Dad before I posted, and this is HIS take:

That Buzzle article was written in a very "media-scare-tactic" way. It seemed like it was written for those who have hypertension due to obesity/lifestyle and were probably given atenolol (just the most commonly prescribed) in an effort to lower their BP. If they continue to engage in a lifestyle that CAUSES their high BP (obesity, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, etc,) no drug will stop their slow progression towards diabetes or heart attack, it will simply mask the warning signs until the inevitable. HOWEVER, if you do not have the other risk factors, it is not shown that the drug increases your risk of developing heart disease or diabetes.

***EVERY side effect that a drug COULD have must be listed as possible according to the FDA, whether it has EVER happened or not!***

The MOST important piece of the treatment puzzle (and I know you don't have this yet ) is a doctor who will monitor and adjust medications according to your tolerance and symptoms! EVERY drug, herb or supplement will effect us differently than "normals," because our normal is not normal!

If it were me, and it was helping, I would go for short acting BB and not take it at night.

Thanks, Jenn,

As I said, I didn't want to alarm ANYONE including myself nor did I intend to cause any scene or make anyone upset with me.

I was actually going to call you and ask if your dad heard about the so called study. And I knew you would have further insight on it!

I'm not loving the way I feel on the Atenolol, but for now it seems to be my only option until I see the specialist next month.

Thank you for all of your support and for clarifying things for me. I'm doing my best to muddle around on these new grounds.

Wishing you a great mother's day!

Hugs,

Rene

[Rene S.]

Well, I'm not running to the medicine cabinet and throwing out my beta blocker.

Does your beta blocker do what you want it to do? That would be the question. Mine keeps my heart rate below 160 bpm and keeps my blood pressure from spiking. It also lessens a lot of the chest pain I have and it seems to make migraines less intense.

Are beta blockers the wonder drugs some have made them out to be in regards to preventing everything that might ail one? Ofcourse not. For me, though, I have to think that lessening the work load on my heart and providing me with a little symptom relief is certainly worth any small risk.

I will state that I DO have high cholesterol and I'm a borderline diabetic. Probably has nothing to do with with my taking a beta blocker as these seem to be problems that run in my family.

Hi. Thank you for your imput. NO I would never tell anyone to throw out their beta blockers. Nor did I intend to upset anyone. Being fairly new to the dysautonomic world, I am doing as much research as I can on the subject and when I came across that article it did alarm me, but not everything you read is true, as we all know.

I'm so glad that your beta is work for you. Am I thrilled with the Atenolol? I can say truthfully that it was the first one that I started with and I've been on about 5 others and even though I have side effects it's better than the awful tachycardia.

I appreciate your response very much

Thank you.

Rene

[Rene S.]

Atenolol and beta blockers have been around for years and are widely regarded as safe for their intended use. All meds have some risks, and BBs are actually not so bad compared to other drugs prescribed for POTS. I haven't heard of the website you used to do your reearch, but there are always docs that disagree with the main medical community. I think whether you should keep taking them depends on what's going on with your individual body. You are taking a super low dose, by the way. You may stlil want to check with your doctor and/or pharmacist.

Hi. Thank you for your response. I know it's hard to find the right drugs especially for most of us who are so sensitive to many drugs. I was just doing research yesterday on the various beta blockers when I stumbled across those two articles.

I know you are atenolol as well, and am glad it's working for you. I am on a small dose, because if I take more, it crashes my b/p, which is all over the place. I have tried many others and my body seems to reject them along with various other medications.

I am seeing a POTS specialist next month, and hopefully, he will steer me in the right direction.

My intent was not to dissuade people from taking their betas. I just wanted to know if anyone else had read that particular article.

Thank you.

Rene

[yogini]

Hi - I am actually not on Atenolol anymore. I started Paxil about a year ago, and slowly weaned off my atenolol. Atenolol worked well for me, but I like the Paxil much better because it doesn't tire me out. Maybe there is a drug out there that's better for you than atenolol...

[morgan617]

Atenolol is not a money maker either. As firewatcher stated, everything has the potential to have side effects and they have to (are required) to put down everything anyone has while studying a drug, whether they think it was caused by the meds or not.

Suddenly stopping atenolol or any cardiac med would potentially be far more dangerous, in my opinion. I've been off and on it for years and years. On for the last 3. It makes me feel much better, so mine's not going anywhere....morgan

[Rene S.]

Hi - I am actually not on Atenolol anymore. I started Paxil about a year ago, and slowly weaned off my atenolol. Atenolol worked well for me, but I like the Paxil much better because it doesn't tire me out. Maybe there is a drug out there that's better for you than atenolol...

Thanks Yogini. I too tried Paxil, but to no avail. I'm glad it works for you! I was actually thinking of trying Pindolol again since I only took it once and didn't like the way it made me feel but I may not have given it a chance.

Rene

[Rene S.]

Atenolol is not a money maker either. As firewatcher stated, everything has the potential to have side effects and they have to (are required) to put down everything anyone has while studying a drug, whether they think it was caused by the meds or not.

Suddenly stopping atenolol or any cardiac med would potentially be far more dangerous, in my opinion. I've been off and on it for years and years. On for the last 3. It makes me feel much better, so mine's not going anywhere....morgan

Hi Morgan,

Thank you for your response. I have not stopped the atenolol, but rather have cut it back since my distolic number goes down into the 50's and sometimes 40's at nighttime. I was only on 12.5 but took it down to 6.25 and still last night my bottom number was low. I've only been on it for a month and I know not to just stop taking it. I don't want to cause any harm to my body which is already a wreck! I've tried so many different betas, coregard, coreg, metoprolol and pindolol, but only gave the pindolol one shot. I may go back to it and see what happens. I don't think any of the betas so far seem to agree with me. They depress me and give me a headache. I wish I had a fabulous cardiologist who could figure it out for me but I have to wait till next month to see Dr. Goodkin, who is on the list of recommend drs. I'm hoping he can find the right drug combo for me.

Take care!

Rene

[tinkerbella]

Hi,

I just want to make sure everyone is using a top BP monitor that is calibrated with their doc's when they are quoting their numbers correctly. I invested in the Omrom Blood Pressure unit top of the line at amazon.com with the software program to print out your info for the docs. I make PDF files and send them weekly so they can tweak me as needed. My doctor told me the others weren't reliable and to buy this brand. I can't get out of bed to get the model # but it's the best one they offer. I had had another that was giving me off readings.

Also, your diastolic number can drop as low as 40 at nighttime, as my cardio told me our bodies drop that low when we sleep. Are you sleeping and waking and just noticing this? We can get a little # nutty at times . One day a friend said, "I think you shouldn't take you're readings so often, I think it makes you worse to know." LOL I had to tell him it's a science and from there I know what to take next and treat. .

Take care all and hve a nice day!